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TURKEY

Turkish Court Not to Hear Case to
Closedown Gay Group

Prosecutor Decides Not to Proceed With Case

Updated at 22.30 (UK) on
October 12 with statement
from Scott Long of Human
Rights Watch

ANKARA, October 12 – Gays in
Turkey have today claimed a victory in their bid to save the closure of
Kaos, the gay and lesbian human rights group.

Last month, the deputy governor of
Ankara, Selahattin Ekremoglu,
applied to the courts to shut down Kaos, citing that the organisation was
operating “against the laws and morality
rules”.

The group, which was founded 11
years ago, had applied for non-government
organisation (NGO) status with the Ministry of the Interior in July.

“We will not be closed down,” Kaos
said in a statement released today.

The group said that the office of
the prosecutor had informed them of the decision not to proceed with the
case.

“This is a big step forward for
homosexuals in achieving the equality and justice they deserve and in
abolishing discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation in all fields of
social life,” the statement said.

When news of Ekremoglu’s remarks emerged three weeks ago and
became known outside
Turkey, the prime minister,
Tayyip Erdogan, received representations
from many international human rights groups, including ILGA-Europe and Human
Rights Watch.

Turkey has already pledged to
improve it human rights – it has signed up to many international
agreements. And with negotiations just started with the European Union for
accession in the next decade, gay and other human rights issues will be
closely scrutinised by Brussels and the European Parliament.

According to Swiss Radio
International, the Ankara prosecutor, Kursat Kayral, said in his ruling that
the American Psychiatric Association did not rate homosexuality as a
disorder and the words ‘gay’ and ‘lesbian’ were widely used in daily life
and scientific research.

“We’re obviously delighted that the
prosecutor’s office has recognized Turkey’s obligations not only as a
country that claims respect for basic human rights principles, but as an
applicant for EU entry” commented Scott Long, the director of LGBT right
programme at Human rights Watch.

“At the same time, the deputy
governor of Ankara can still appeal within two weeks for the case to
continue.” He warned. “What’s needed is a legal provision ensuring that
this kind of discriminatory action by public officials is forbidden.

“The government has resisted
including protections for sexual orientation in its anti-discrimination
legislation. This whole scandal shows why that refusal is just plain
wrong,” he added.

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